Four Conroe HS students achieve All-State Mixed Choir goal

By Meagan Ellsworth, mellsworth@hcnonline.com

Published 10:28 am, Friday, April 21, 2017

Photo: Jason Fochtman, Staff Photographer

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Conroe's Jaydon Archie, Kayla Swan, Kyler West and Brandon Veazey were four of the 24 choir students from Conroe ISD recognized by the district's Board of Trustees for being named to this year's Texas Music Educators Association's all-state choir. less

Conroe's Jaydon Archie, Kayla Swan, Kyler West and Brandon Veazey were four of the 24 choir students from Conroe ISD recognized by the district's Board of Trustees for being named to this year's Texas Music ... more

Photo: Jason Fochtman, Staff Photographer

Four Conroe HS students achieve All-State Mixed Choir goal

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It took nine months of hard work but four Conroe High School students took top honors at the annual TMEA Convention last month.

The four were among 64,000 student musicians who competed across the state for the chance to be recognized as an All-State musician by the Texas Music Educators Association, only 15,000 made the cut for choir. Out of those, only about 224 made All-State Mixed Choir.

Conroe ISD had a total of 24 All-State band and choir musicians in 2017.

"We live in the most competitive areas of the state," said Choir Director Clay West. "It's not only incredible that they did it, but that they did it here. Because Region 9, area F, they are one of the two hardest areas in the state of Texas. They really are the best of the best, it's really cool."

Swan made All-State for the first time and called the "emotionally charged" final audition process and performance in February in San Antonio a "privilege" she has "been looking forward to for a long time."

She sacrificed dancing with the Golden Girls to completely commit to choir and the rest of her life to music. Swan plans to attend a top music college with consideration to the University of North Texas, Baylor, and Texas Tech.

"There's so much stress," she said. "And when you don't hear your name called (which she experienced last year), because you give up so much of your free time for what you love, you have that realization if I had just done one more hour of practice … it's nerve wracking."

She and her fellow classmate not only practiced for hours throughout the last year, but also juggled school work, marching band, the Cantare music group, golf practice and more. Some chose to go to college choir summer camps to prepare for the moment where they would sing in a blind audition to judges hidden behind a sheet. But the students said two musicians can give a perfect performance with only one making All-State.

"It really comes down to what the judges like to hear," said Veazey. "And that's hard on everyone."

It's rare for a freshman to make the All-State Mixed Choir which consists of the top chairs for both men and women, yet Veazey set his goal in 8th grade and succeeded.

"It's a freaking dream come true," said Veazey who is determined to make All-State again next year and is interested in studying music composition at the University of Texas or Baylor.

This is the first and last All-State performance for Archie, who now plans to study business at the University of Houston.

"I've been at it since freshman year," said Archie. "It's huge. It's been a main goal. This was my last shot."

Last year, Kyler West, whose father is Clay West, made the Men's Choir. However, this is the first year for him to make the Mixed Choir. He hopes to make All-State again next year and aspires to pursue music. He is also considering studying at Texas A&M for a game warden career in the future.

"I've learned so many things," said Kyler. "It teaches you respect. It's not easy. We as musicians have to pay respects to our instructor. It teaches you the value of committing. … God gave me a gift to sing and I'm going to use it."

Clay West praised his son's accomplishment.

"It's challenging having a child in your own ensemble because there is the fine line between dad and teacher," he said. "But it is also very gratifying because I see how much he worked and it wasn't just me who taught him to accomplish that goal. It is him working without me because he wanted to do it."

During the final performance, the students had an opportunity to perform with the top musicians around the state who share similar gifts. Among the eight pieces they performed were "The Heavens' Flock" and "The Flight Song," which the students said pay respects to the instructor and teaches about being humble.

"I broke," Veazey said, joined by his laughing classmates who shared that they also cried from the built up emotion over the 9-month-long journey to the moment. "I'm the cry baby."

Clay West had a chance to see the students, including his son, in the last performance as the mixed choir organizer during his last year in the two-year appointment. He described it as a "unique" experience during the "culminating event" and is confident the students will make All-State again.

"They weren't going to sing this piece again except for that time," Clay West said, recognizing the long journey. "One of my teachers told me once, 'the performance is the death of the music' because at that point all that you have put into it at the time is over. So it's a very emotional experience. It is very satisfying to see students who worked so hard achieve something that is so great."

"Most kids start out on this process and never make it to that point," he added. "It is such an immense accomplishment to achieve that and to sing with literally the very best of the best in the state of Texas and one of the finest All-State choirs in the country."